Multistage throttle valve

ABSTRACT

A multistage throttle valve has a generally cylindrical housing with an inlet adjacent one end and an outlet at the other end. The interior of the housing is spanned by several, axially spaced valve seat plates having coaxial apertures therethrough of progressively larger sizes toward the outlet. An axially movable operating rod passes axially through the apertures and carries at least one of several valve discs thereon. An operating tube is disposed around the operating rod and carries the valve discs not carried by the rod. The tube is movable axially along the rod and can be fastened thereto.

1451 Tan 2 1197 MTJLTTSTAGE THROTTLE VALVE Appl. N0.: 2,554

2,979,083 4/1961 Usselmann et all .1 137/6371 3,472,479 10/1969 Sherwood 251/121 X 3,476,147 11/1969 Hitt et al .251/122 X Primary ExaminerHenry T Klinksiek Attorney-Lothrop & West [57] ABSTRACT [52] U S CL 251/120 251/266 137/637 2 A multistage throttle valve has a generally cylindrical housing 51 Int C1 17111:lil lliil i/os Fl6 k 31/50 i=161 11/2 0 adjacem end and the [58] Field ofSearch..l37/630.l8 630.19 628 637.243/4 The interior the using is spanned by Several axially 137/329 251/120 266 269 spaced valve seat plates having coaxial apertures therethrough of progressively larger sizes toward the outlet. An axially [56] References Cited movable operating rod passes axially through the apertures and carries at least one of several valve discs thereon. An UNITED STATES PATENTS operating tube is disposed around the operating rod and car ries the valve discs not carried by the rod. The tube is movable t i axially along the rod and can be fastened thereto. ee

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ii 53 i4 .7? 8] 79 [I 3! 19 63 74 24 3 36 1 l l l 1 r8 6 A? Illl l 9 E Z 1 A M PATENTEB MW INVENTOR. f/wm 404w ,flrraewmff MllULTllSTAGlE Tllllltfl'll'llhh VALVE The multistage throttle valve of this application is of the same general sort disclosed in the copending application of Thomas C. Jester et al., Ser. No. 635,191, filed May 1. 1967, now US. Pat. No. 3,515,370, and assigned to the assignee hereof.

In the operation of hydraulic systems there is often the requirement of reducing the pressure of a flowing stream of liquid, usually water, and under some circumstances it is desirable to reduce the pressure not simply in one stage but rather in several stages. The amount of reduction at one stage preferably bears some relationship or proportion to the reduction at another stage. The arrangement can be well calculated for a fixed range of conditions in order to have precisely the designed ratio of throttling per stage. Under some circumstances the conditions change markedly from time to time or vary substantially without previous notice. it may then be preferred to reduce the pressure by means of a different number of throttling stages or in different amounts per stage.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a multistage throttling valve which even after installation can be varied to suit the particular conditions of operation then obtaining.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multistage throttling valve in which the number of effective stages can be changed from time to time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multistage throttling valve in which the relationship between the different throttling stages can be changed by an operator at will.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multistage throttling valve in which different ones of the throttling mechanisms can be utilized for shutoff.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multistage throttling valve which, particularly in medium and smaller sizes, can readily be actuated by hand.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an im proved and more versatile multistage throttling valve.

Other objects together with the foregoing are attained in the embodiments of the invention described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a cross section on a transverse longitudinal plane through the axis of one form of multistage throttling valve constructed pursuant to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross section like FIG. 1 but showing the throttling mechanism in a different position; and

FIG. 3 is a modification of the multistage throttling valve showing a different construction but with the parts approxi mately in the position of operation shown in FIG. 1.

Although the throttling valve pursuant to the invention can be employed in a large number of different configurations and can be installed in various different environments, it is illustrated herein as it is designed and installed in a typical case.

In this instance the multistage throttling valve includes a housing ti generally of circular cylindrical configuration outside and inside and symmetrical about a through or flow axis 7. The housing adjacent one end has an inlet tube 8 terminating in a flange 9 for connection to a supply pipeline of any desired sort. Adjacent the other end and in effect continuing the outlet 11 of the housing is an adapter 112 having a flange 13 designed for connection by fasteners 14 to the outlet flange 16 of the valve housing. The adapter 12 has its own outlet 17 leading to any suitable downstream connection.

The interior of the housing 6 is partially divided by a number of valve seat plates 21, 22 and 23. These are spaced apart axially at desired locations and each of them is characterized by a respective one of a number of central flow openings 2h, 27 and 28. The openings are concentric with the axis 7 and vary in size becoming progressively larger as they approach the outlet 11. The particular axial location and area or size of each of the openings is designed to meet the particular conditions of service of the valve. There is usually a fixed or a predetermined ratio or proportion between the areas of the successive openings. All of the openings are preferably finished to provide seat surfaces 29, 31 and 32 for cooperation with a respective one of a series of valve discs 33, 3d and 36. The valve discs are configured to have mating surfaces 37, 33 and 39 designed to abut with the respective seat surfaces 29, .311 and 32 provided that the positioning mechanism for the valve discs is appropriately actuated.

In accordance with the invention, at least one of the valve discs is supported individually and for operation independently of the others. For example, in the present instance the valve discs 341 and 36 are formed as portions of an integral or unitary member 4111. included therein is a central boss d1 connecting the valve discs directly and a tail boss 12 machined to move axially within a bushing 413 carried by a spider 4141 having a rim 16 clamped in position near the outlet 11. In this fashion the downstream portion of the assembly of the discs is appropriately guided. The disc member 410 likewise carries an upstream boss 417 connected by threads 413 to an operating rod 419 extending axially along the housing 6. The connection between the rod 49 and the valve disc member 10 is preferably secured by a pin 51.

The rod 49 at its upstream end is somewhat enlarged and is provided with a threaded portion 52 readily engaged by a threaded actuating nut 54 designed to turn about the axis 7 in a frame 56 having a yoke 57 secured firmly to the housing 6. The nut 54 is confined within the housing 56 by a pair of thrust bearings 58 and 59 so that the nut can turn readily but cannot move axially. The nut 54 includes a threaded portion 61 of its own which carries a handwheel 62 or other convenient actuator secured in position by a fastener 63. In addition, the threaded portion 611 carries a locknut 641 with an operating wing 66.

When the locknut 641 is released by manipulation of the wing 66, the handwheel 62 can be turned in either direction. The out 54 thus is effective to move the operating rod 419 either to the right or to the left in FIG. 1 provided the operati ng rod is prevented from turning. For this reason a keyway 67 extends along the operating rod. The bearing end 68 of a screw 69 projects into the keyway and is held in position by its own locknut 71. With the mechanism as so far described, rotation of the handwheel 62 produces an axial translation of the operating rod 419 and thus moves the valve discs 341 and 36 toward and away from their respective seats. The arrangement is preferably such that the discs are slightly farther apart or closer together than the seats so that when one of them is seated the other is off of its seat.

Particularly pursuant to the present invention, the valve disc 33 is not part of the disc member 410 but rather is separately arranged. The upstream valve disc 33 is carried by an operating tube 72 surrounding the operating rod 49 and coaxial therewith. There is an O-ring 73 or other comparable seal between the operating tube 72 and the operating rod 39. The operating tube 72 at its upper or left-hand end (in FlG. l) is enlarged to provide in effect a nut 74 engaging a part of the threaded portion 52 of the operating rod 49. Since sometimes it is desired to utilize different materials for different parts, the nut 74 is extended and encased in a bearing sleeve 76. This is secured to the nut by a number of machine screws 77 so that the two parts operate in unison. To preclude any leakage the space between the sleeve 76 and the nut 73 is sealed by an O- ring 78. The sleeve 76 is reciprocable and rotatable within a flanged bushing 79 mounted in the body 6 and held in position by fastening screws 81. A number of depressions 32 in the sleeve 76 are in positions to receive a spanner wrench or the like so that the nut 741 can be manually rotated.

Under some circumstances it is desired to lock the nut 74 and the operating rod 419 so that they cannot be moved with respect to each other. This is particularly desirable in at least two relative axial positions of these parts. For that reason the operating stern 419 has a pair of sockets 83 and 841 conveniently formed on opposite sides thereof and spaced apart a predetermined axial distance.

Carried by the sleeve 76 and designed to engage in either one of the sockets 33 or 841 is a plungerllifi manually operable outwardly in a radial direction and normally urged inwardly by a spring 87. In one position the plunger occupies the depression 83, for example, and locks the operating tube 72 and the operating rod 49 together in one axial spacing or relationship.

In the operation of this mechanism, as so far described, the parts can be in the position shown in FIG. 1. In that position the seats 29 and 37 are in abutment so that there is no flow through the valve. When the actuator wheel 62 is rotated in the appropriate direction with the plunger 86 in position in the socket 83, both the actuating rod 4? and the actuating tube 72 necessarily travel in unison and the valve discs 33, 34 and 36 move simultaneously as the rotating nut 54 translates the threaded portion 52. The initial throttling then takes place between the seats 29 and 37 with subsequent throttling between the seats 31 and 38 and final throttling between the seats 32 and 39. The valve can be fully opened and then reclosed simply by rotating the wheel 62.

When the conditions change and it is desired to have only two-stage throttling rather than three-stage throttling, the operator then retracts the plunger 86. By the use of a spanner in the depressions 82, for example, he rotates the bearing sleeve 76 to screw the operating tube along the operating rod until such time as the valve disc 33 is in fully opened position. The valve disc 33 is then approximately or actually in abutment with the boss 47, substantially as shown in FIG. 2. With the parts in the new relative axial location, the plunger 86 can be introduced into the socket 84 again to lock the actuating tube and the actuating rod together for further unitary motion.

Under these circumstances, as shown in FIG. 2, the valve disc 33 always remains open and does no substantial throttling whereas the valve disc 34 then seats. When opened, the valve disc 34 does the initial throttling between the seats 31 and 38 with secondary throttling occurring between the seats 32 and 39.

At the conclusion of the double throttling operation the user can withdraw the plunger 86 and with a spanner in the depression 82 rotate the bearing sleeve 76 and the operating tube in the reverse direction until such time as the plunger 86 reengages the socket 83. The parts are then restored to their initial condition for three-stage throttling.

As a further variation in the arrangement there is shown in FIG. 3 a construction in which the operating rod 49' carries but a single throttling or valve disc 36 whereas the operating tube 72' carries a pair of throttling discs 33' and 34, the parts otherwise being in substantially the same relationship and operating in substantially the same way as above described. An exception is that when the discs 33' and 34' are displaced entirely to the right (in FIG. 3) with a close approach to the disc 36 then both the discs 33' and 34' are substantially fully opened at all times and but a single stage of throttling is provided by the disc 36 which then serves also as a tight closure.

What is claimed is:

l. A. multistage throttle valve comprising a generally cylindrical housing extending along an axis having an inlet adjacent one end and an outlet at the other end, a plurality of valve seat plates extending across said housing, each of said valve seat plates having an aperture therein, a plurality of valve discs, each of said discs being disposed between a respective one of said valve seat plates and said outlet, an operating rod extending along the axis of said housing and fixed to at least one of said valve discs, an operating tube around said operating rod and fixed to the remainder of said valve discs, said operating tube being mounted on and for adjustment along said operating rod, means accessible from the exterior of said valve for adjusting said tube along said rod, and means for moving said operating rod and tube axially of said housing.

2. A multistage throttle valve as in claim ll including means for releasably securing said operating tube to said operating rod against axial displacement therebetween.

3. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 2 in which said securing means includes means effective in two predetermined positions of said operating tube relative to said operatin rod.

4. A multistage throttle valve as in claim I in which said operating rod has a threaded portion, said moving means includes a rotatable nut engageable with said housing and engaging said threaded portion and said operating tube has a threaded collar also engaging said threaded portion.

5. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 4 in which means are provided for precluding rotation of said operating rod relative to said housing and means are provided for precluding rotation of said operating tube relative to said operating rod.

6. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 1 in which said moving means moves said rod and operating tube between two predetermined positions along said operating rod in one of which one of said valve discs is seated on its respective one of said valve seat plates and in the other of which another of said valve discs is seated on its respective one of said valve seat plates 7. A multistage throttle valve comprising a generally cylindrical housing extending along an axis having an inlet adjacent one end and an outlet at the other end, a plurality of axially spaced valve seat plates merging with and extending transversely across said housing, each of said valve seat plates having an aperture therein concentric with said axis, a plurality of valve discs, an operating rod extending along the axis of said housing through at least one of said apertures, means mounting at least one of said valve discs on said operating rod with said disc disposed on the side of one of said plates toward said outlet, an operating tube around and supported by said operating rod, means mounting the remainder of said discs on said operating tube with each of said discs on the side of a respective other one of said plates toward said outlet, means supporting said operating tube in said housing, selectively operable means engaging said operating tube and said operating rod for adjusting said operating tube and said operating rod axially relative to each other, and means engaging said housing and said operating rod for moving said housing and said operating rod axially relative to each other.

8. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 7 including a first nut, means for mounting said first nut in said housing for rotation about said axis and against translation along said axis, a second nut on said operating tube, means forming one portion of threads on said operating rod in engagement with said first nut, and means forming another portion of threads on said operating rod in engagement with said second nut.

9. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 8 including means engaging said operating rod and said housing for preventing rotation of said operating rod relative to said housing.

10. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 8 including means releasably interengaging said operating tube and said operating rod for preventing relative rotation therebetween. 

1. A multistage throttle valve comprising a generally cylindrical housing extending along an axis having an inlet adjacent one end and an outlet at the other end, a plurality of valve seat plates extending across said housing, each of said valve seat plates having an aperture therein, a plurality of valve discs, each of said discs being disposed between a respective one of said valve seat plates and said outlet, an operating rod extending along the axis of said housing and fixed to at least one of said valve discs, an operating tube around said operating rod and fixed to the remainder of said valve discs, said operating tube being mounted on and for adjustment along said operating rod, means accessible from the exterior of said valve for adjusting said tube along said rod, and means for moving said operating rod and tube axially of said housing.
 2. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 1 including means for releasably securing said operating tube to said operating rod against axial displacement therebetween.
 3. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 2 in which said securing means includes means effective in two predetermined positions of said operating tube relative to said operating rod.
 4. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 1 in which said operating rod has a threaded portion, said moving means includes a rotatable nut engageable with said housing and engaging said threaded portion and said operating tube has a threaded collar also engaging said threaded portion.
 5. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 4 in which means are provided for precluding rotation of said operating rod relative to said housing and means are provided for precluding rotation of said operating tube relative to said operating rod.
 6. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 1 in which said moving means moves said rod and operating tube between two predetermined positions along said operating rod in one of which one of said valve discs is seated on its respective one of said valve seat plates and in the other of which another of said valve discs is seated on its respective one of said valve seat plates.
 7. A multistage throttle valve comprising a generally cylindrical housing extending along an axis having an inlet adjacent one end and an outlet at the other end, a plurality of axially spaced valve seat plates merging with and extending transversely across said housing, each of said valve seat plates having an aperture therein concentric with said axis, a plurality of valve discs, an operating rod extending along the axis of said housing through at least one of said apertures, means mounting at least one of said valve discs on said operating rod with said disc disposed on the side of one of said plates toward said outlet, an operating tube around and supported by said operating rod, means mounting the remainder of said discs on said operating tube with each of said discs on the side of a respective other one of said plates toward said outlet, means supporting said operating tube in said housing, selectively operable means engaging said operating tube and said operaTing rod for adjusting said operating tube and said operating rod axially relative to each other, and means engaging said housing and said operating rod for moving said housing and said operating rod axially relative to each other.
 8. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 7 including a first nut, means for mounting said first nut in said housing for rotation about said axis and against translation along said axis, a second nut on said operating tube, means forming one portion of threads on said operating rod in engagement with said first nut, and means forming another portion of threads on said operating rod in engagement with said second nut.
 9. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 8 including means engaging said operating rod and said housing for preventing rotation of said operating rod relative to said housing.
 10. A multistage throttle valve as in claim 8 including means releasably interengaging said operating tube and said operating rod for preventing relative rotation therebetween. 